Emily Patterson of the Joffrey

I recently saw the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago perform Gerald Arpino's Reflections. From start to finish, the ballet touched upon all the right chords that resonate with me: energy, beauty, grace, elegance, and wonderful musical interpretation.

I must say that what made the whole ballet for me was the dancing by Emily Patterson for Variation VI. Though her partner was very good, I felt like any one of the excellent male dancers of the Joffrey could have performed that role. It was Emily's perfect tempo and elegance and grace and radiant beauty and mesmerizing execution of Arpino's choreography that held me entranced and wishing that Variation VI would never end. WOW. I couldn't take my eyes off of her the rest of the night.

Not only is she an enchanting dancer, but she has the most radiant, warm, and genuine smile during the curtain calls. She's a joy to watch, even during the curtain calls. I believe the Joffrey has a real gem in Emily.

Emily trained at my daughter's studio and I had the privilege of watching her grow up. I'm delighted to hear that audiences are appreciating her professional artistry as much as we did while watching her develop as a dancer. Everything you stated about her was true even way back when. And she's a genuinely good, kind person as well.